Monthly Archive

First Comprehensive and Prospective Characterization of a Genetic Subtype of Autism

13th June, 2013

shank3
[Source:  Science Daily]
In the first prospective study of its kind, Seaver Autism Center researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai provide new evidence of the severity of intellectual, motor, and speech impairments in a subtype of autism called Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMS). The data are published online in the June 11 issue of the journal Molecular Autism.
Mutation or deletion of a gene known as SHANK3 is one of the more common single-gene causes of autism spectrum disorders and is critical to the development of PMS, a severe type of autism. To date, clinicians have relied on case studies and retrospective reviews of medical records to understand the features of this disorder and how the clinical presentation relates to the extent of the genetic changes in the SHANK3 region. In the first systematic and comprehensive prospective trial, researchers led by Alex Kolevzon, MD, Clinical Director of the Seaver Autism Center, under the direction of Joseph Buxbaum, PhD, Director of the Seaver Autism Center, enrolled 32 participants with SHANK3 deletions to comprehensively assess their clinical symptoms and examine how the size of the SHANK3 deletion correlated to those symptoms.
Read the Rest of this Article on Science Daily

PediaStaff hires pediatric and school-based professionals nationwide for contract assignments of 2 to 12 months. We also help clinics, hospitals, schools, and home health agencies to find and hire these professionals directly. We work with Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, School Psychologists, and others in pediatric therapy and education.

BACK TO ALL ARTICLES

Latest Jobs